Can one Google My Business profile rank well for multiple cities?

Short Answer: No, a single Google My Business profile can only rank well in one primary city. Although you can add up to 20 service areas to your profile, your ranking in those additional areas will not be as strong as in your main city.

Full Explanation

Google My Business profiles are designed to represent a specific location or primary service area. When it comes to ranking well on Google for local searches, the profile will perform best in the city that is designated as the main location. While it is possible to list multiple service areas—up to 20—the profile’s visibility and ranking strength will be significantly higher in the primary city than in the additional service areas.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

Primary City Ranking: Your Google My Business profile will have its strongest presence in the city where it is registered or set as the primary location.
Adding Service Areas: You can specify up to 20 different service areas to show where your business operates beyond the primary city.
Limited Ranking in Service Areas: Even though these service areas are listed, the profile will not rank as well for searches originating in those other cities when compared to the primary city.

Real Examples

If a business is based in Dallas and sets Dallas as its primary city, the Google My Business profile will rank best for searches in Dallas. Although the business can add nearby cities like Fort Worth or Arlington as service areas, the profile will not perform as well in search rankings for those places compared to Dallas.

Common Mistakes

Assuming that adding multiple service areas will make the profile rank equally well across all those locations.
Not focusing efforts on optimizing the profile for the primary city, which is critical for strong ranking.
Trying to use a single profile to cover multiple cities extensively instead of creating separate profiles when applicable.

FAQs

Can I add multiple cities to my Google My Business profile?: Yes, you can add up to 20 service areas, but the profile will only rank strongly in one primary city.
Will my business show up equally in all the cities I add as service areas?: No, ranking performance will be better in your main city and weaker in the other listed service areas.
Should I create multiple Google My Business profiles for different cities?: This depends on Google’s guidelines and your business model, but a single profile is limited to ranking well in one primary location.

Key Takeaways

One Google My Business profile ranks best in its primary city.
Up to 20 service areas can be added, but they do not guarantee equal ranking in those places.
For strong local SEO, focus on optimizing your profile for your main city.